1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a very efficient peanut combine, and more particularly to an improved means for separating chaff from peanuts to provide a cleaner peanut product.
Peanuts are generally difficult to mechanically harvest and cure to a condition where they can be stored and still retain high quality standards for human ingestion. Like any other food product, when peanuts are exposed to foreign material, contamination, spoilage and deterioration may be accelerated. To compound this problem, peanuts cannot be washed, for the presence of water will enhance deterioration. As a result, peanut hulls remain dirty, even under the most favorable conditions, and if such dirt is allowed to come into contact with the edible seed of the peanut, contamination will occur, rendering the nut almost worthless.
To prevent abrasions and contamination of the edible seed, peanut pods with their fragile hulls must stay intact throughout the digging, windrowing, curing, combining, handling and transporting processes until they enter a shelter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
After peanuts have been detached from vines, they must be separated from the vines in such a manner that the peanuts can be removed to a hopper or bin with a minimum or absence of any foreign material. Conventional peanut combines utilize a screening system for separating the peanuts from the vine fragments, and a straw rack for moving the vine fragments to the rear of the combine where they are discharged over the ground. After separation, the peanuts are passed over a series of vibrating screens and stem cutters to remove foreign substances. The peanuts are then discharged from the bottom of the combine, after the stems have been removed, and transferred to a suitable bagging apparatus or to a bin carried by the combine. Although this method of separating the peanuts has proved to be somewhat successful in providing a cleaner product, there is still a need for a separator system which will produce an even a cleaner peanut sample and reduce the loss of acceptable peanut products. There is also a need to provide a machine which can speed the process of harvesting peanuts, even under the most adverse conditions.
A very successful peanut combine, having elements as described above, is disclosed and claimed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,507, which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent discloses and claims an improved thrashing or picking system for a peanut combine, which is adapted to shred the vines and detach peanuts therefrom without damaging the peanuts.
The use of a rotary disk system as a separator for cleaning grain, wood chips, legumes and the like is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,290 to Anderson discloses a peanut harvesting machine having a plurality of rotary disk screens which are secured to shafts rotatably mounted to the frame of the combine. The disks, closely spaced, are slightly interdigitating and are mounted off-center on their shafts to increase the shaking action of the peanuts being conveyed over the screen to aid in the separation of soil from the peanuts. These disks, positioned close to each other, convey peanuts over one another to a shaker screen to loosen dirt which is also conveyed over the disks. The disk screen is not used in conjunction with an air separating system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,723 to Wahl is directed to a disk screen separator for separating wood pulp chips from knots, or wood chunks, or screening ground waste to separate larger particles from other types of processing.
U.S. Pat. No. 758,508 to Mason discloses a grain separating device which can employ a series of interleaved square sheets that revolve to separate grain from stalk.
U.S. Pat. No. 828,736 to Gwaltney discloses the use of a series of blunt tooth disks mounted on shafts which protrude above a bedplate. These disks are marginally interdigitating and work by grabbing the stem on a peanut to remove it, and then the disks force the stem below the bedplate.
U.S. Pat. No. 836,869 to Deaver discloses the use of a series of rimmed disks on a shaft having two sets of teeth per disk. Grain is separated from straw as the straw is torn while moving over the disk.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,233 to Sherman discloses a seedling cleaning system, also employing a series of rotary disks mounted on shafts. The disks are eccentrically mounted to provide for increased agitation of the seedlings in order to remove soil from the seedling root.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,352 to Silver discloses a series of rotary screen members mounted in a staggered manner upon shafts. The rotary shafts are in a slightly axially spaced relationship, the spacing being such that a sugar beet will not drop through the spacing as it is being conveyed, but dirt and trash will.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,119 to Kroell is directed to a disk separator comprised of a series of interdigitating disks on shafts.
It is an object of this invention to provide a peanut combine with an improved separating system which is adapted to produce a cleaner peanut sample and reduce the loss of acceptable product.
Another object of the invention is a peanut combine with an improved separator system which utilizes rotating disks.
Additional objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the study of this specification and of the appended claims.